Five disputations of church-government and worship

But perhaps they will say, that according to Scripture, every City only must have a Bishop, and therefore all the Country about must be his Diocese, though the number of Churches and Presbyters under him be not determined. To which I answer, that the word Only, is not in Scripture: no Text saith that it was Only in Cities that Churches or Bishops were to be seated. There is no prohibition of settling them in Villages.

But perhaps they will say, that according to Scripture, every City only must have a Bishop, and therefore all the Country about must be his Diocess, though the number of Churches and Presbyters under him be not determined. To which I answer, that the word Only, is not in Scripture: no Text saith that it was Only in Cities that Churches or Bishops were to be seated. There is no prohibition of setling them in Villages.

It will be said, that There is no example of any Bishop but in a City. To which I answer. 1. Themselves ordinarily tell us in case of Sacrament gesture, and many other things, that examples do not alway bind affirmatively; much less can they prove that they bind negatively; I mean, not to do that which was not done. Can you prove in Scripture that there were any particular Churches or Assemblies for Sacraments and other worship in Villages? If not, then is it lawful now to have any? If not, then all our Parish Churches in the Country are unlawful. If yea, then why may we not have Bishops in the Countries without Scripture example, as well as Churches? for we shall prove that the reasons why there were none or few Bishops in the Country, was for want of Churches for them to oversee. The Gospel was not then preached, nor any Bishops placed in many Nations of the world: it doth not follow therefore that there must be none since. 2. The reason is evident why Churches and Bishops were first planted in Cities; because there was the greatest Concourse of people▪ not that God loves a Citizen better then a ⟨p. 50⟩Country-man, or that he will have his Churches so limited to soil, or place, or situation: it is the number of persons wherever they live, that must be regarded, that the Church be not too great nor too small: but if there be the same number of people Cohabiting in the Country, as one of the Apostolical Churches did consist of, then there is the same reason to have a Church and Bishop in that Country Village, as was then for having one in a City. 3. Elders should be ordained in every Church, and therefore Bishops (for some of them say that these were Bishops) But Churches may be in Country Villages; therefore Elders and Bishops may be in Country-Villages. 4. I prove from Scripture that there were Bishops in Villages, or out of Cities, thus. Where there was a Church, there was a Bishop. But in a Village there was a Church; therefore. The Major I prove from